As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, I have received letters from both my daughter’s teachers outlining the day’s activities including how many Valentine’s we should bring for the class. Both of my daughters love to create personalized cards for family and friends, so it is only natural that they want to start coloring, cutting, pasting and glittering cards for their classmates. However, this year, they want to include something extra special….chocolate! If you know me, it is no surprise that my daughters love chocolate, too, so I am eager to help fulfill their request!
Hershey’s, the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America, has created an incredible line of Valentine’s Day chocolates perfect for gift giving! Many of the snack sized treats such as the Kit Kat Wafer Bar or Reese’s Peanut Butter Heart, have a section for writing a love note or name of your Valentine directly on the package. And who can resist the many varieties of Hershey’s KISSES? In festive foils, you can surprise your office mates with a vase full of caramel, cherry cordial or almond KISSES! In my office, the most popular desk is the one with chocolate!
Looking to get creative this holiday? Hershey’s helps by providing some taste tested yummy recipes (I have seen the test kitchens and know the recipes that come out are phenomenal!) such as these divine Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes! Go ahead, you know you want to try them:
What you Need:
-
CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST(recipe follows) - 1/2 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
- 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
- 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- CHOCOLATE GLAZE(recipe follows)
How to Make it:
1. Heat oven to 300°F. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups or spray with vegetable cooking spray.* Press about 1 tablespoonful CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST mixture onto bottom of each cup.
2. Stir together cocoa and 1/4 cup butter. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in cocoa mixture. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Fill muffin cups with batter.
3. Bake 35 minutes or until set. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Refrigerate. Before serving, spread with CHOCOLATE GLAZE. Allow to set. Serve at room temperature. About 24 mini cheesecakes.
CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST: Stir together 1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers, crushed), 6 tablespoons HERSHEY’S Cocoa, 6 tablespoons powdered sugar and 6 tablespoons melted butter or margarine in medium bowl.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Melt 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips with 1 cup (1/2 pt.) whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth. Use immediately. About 2 cups glaze.
*If vegetable cooking spray is used, cool baked cheesecakes. Freeze 15 minutes; remove with narrow spatula.
No matter how you plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Hershey’s has something to satisfy every sweet tooth! Check out all the Valentine’s Day recipes, crafts and products before Cupid steals them all!
Mmm…these look great!
Yummy! 🙂